Glory Be: Interesting People & How They Pray

Father Jack Gleason is the pastor of St. Bernard of Clairvaux parish in Tulsa. He recently took a sabbatical during which he walked the Camino. Fr. Jack grew up in Blackwell OK with his 3 siblings. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tulsa in 1995. He has served as the Vocation Director for the Diocese of Tulsa, Chaplain at the Newman Center at the University of Tulsa, and Pastor...

Deacon Alan Mikell was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1996 and serves as a deacon at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He grew up in Baton Rouge LA and holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University. He is currently the Director of Prison Ministry for the diocese and is very involved with Kairos Prison Ministry. Over the year...

Dustin Samford is the Coordinator of youth activities at the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Growing up, Dustin moved quite a bit due to his fathers service in the Air Force. His family settled in Pryor, Oklahoma when his fathers service ended. Dustin earned his Bachelor's degree in Strategic Communications from Oklahoma State University. After graduation, Dustin worked for Americorp an...

Karlo Broussard is a Catholic Answer’s apologist and speaker working in the Diocese of Tulsa to  offer apologetical, catechetical, and evangelization training to the faithful. Karlo has published articles on a variety of subjects in Catholic Answers Magazine , is a regular guest on Catholic Answers Live , and is an active writer for Catholic Answers Magazine Online . Karlo holds undergraduate and...

Monsignor Patrick Gaalaas was born in Minneapolis, MN and ordained to the priesthood August 12, 1972. He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and a baccalaureate of sacred theology and master’s degree in moral & religious science from the University of Louvain in Belgium. Msgr. Gaalaas has served many parishes in the diocese of Tulsa including Ch...

Leigha Liuzza is an artist and co-founder of Zelie Creative Co., an art business where she focuses on using her creativity to honor God. She also combines her faith and artistic gifts to lead retreats and classes. Leigha received a BA in Studio Art from Oklahoma State University. She is a certified kindergarten through 12th grade art educator and, after graduation, taught art for 8 years at her Al...

Mr. Ken Coughlin is a retired award winning, distinguished teacher who served as the Chair of the Theology Department at Bishop Kelley High School for 27 years. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and attended high school seminary at Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, then attended the minor seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago for two years of college before discerning the priesthood was...

Rosemary Metzler works at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa and is a Benedictine Oblate there. She is a parishioner here at the Church of Saint Mary. Rosemary grew up as an Army brat living mostly on the East Coast and in Germany. Home Base for Rosemary is Philadelphia where her brother and sister reside. Rosemary has worked in a number of areas from being a Vietnamese linguist for the NSA to being...

Father Shane Hewson is the associate pastor at St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Tulsa. Fr. Shane was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tulsa in 2019. He grew up in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and attended the Church of St. Benedict. Fr. Shane graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. He attended Seminary in Ohio at the Athenaeum of Ohio and received his Masters...

https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/ Katie Svejkosky is the Sacramental Preparation and Parish Life Coordinator for the Church of Saint Mary and lives in Jenks with her husband, Justin, and their three children. A native of St. Louis, she attended the University of Tulsa, graduating in 2015 with a degree in English and secondary education. She went on to earn her Master of Arts in English from Ford...

Sr. Catherine Martinez entered the Benedictine Sisters at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa in 1985 and made vows in 1990. She grew up in Orange County California. Sr. Catherine holds a Bachelor of Science In Elementary Education from Langston University and a Master of Arts in Theology with an emphasis in Spirituality and a minor in Scripture from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. S...

Mark Ohnesorge is a Captain at the Tulsa Police Department and is currently assigned to the Police Academy over recruitment and training. He grew up in a military family, traveling all over the world before graduating from High School in Enid, Oklahoma. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of...

Father Desmond Okpogba is the pastor of the Church of the Madalene in Tulsa. Father Desmond was born and raised in NIgeria and ordained to the priesthood in 1989. In this podcast, Father Desmond shares how he found himself in Tulsa, Oklahoma, far from his home diocese of Orlu in Nigeria.

Becky Holder is the Faith Formation Director at the Church of the Madalene. Becky grew up in Tulsa and is a graduate of Bishop Kelley High School. She received her degree in Special Education from Oklahoma State University and taught in the public school system for 7 years until she became a stay at home mom. Becky has been married for 29 years and has 4 grown children.

Sister Mary Pieta Geier entered the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal in 2005 and made final vows in 2012. She grew up Catholic and was raised in Garden City Kansas. Sr. Mary Pieta attended Benedictine College where she studied Music Education and Theology. She has served in the Bronx, East Harlem, and England and is currently serving as the Postulant Director for the Franciscan Sisters of the Ren...

Kylee Hernandez is the Development Manager of Watts of Love, a global non-profit bringing people the power to lift themselves out of the darkness of poverty through solar lighting and financial literacy training. Kylee was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and graduated last May from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois with a degree in International Relations. During her time in college, her...

Sharron and Mike recount the top five guests of all time as chosen by you and the number of views of the video version of Glory Be podcast. They announce that they're taking a summer break - after one last great interview: Kylee Hernandez of Watts of Love. It will come out very soon.

Melissa is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders, an international nonprofit public charity and patient advocacy group focused on empowering families and funding groundbreaking research on peroxisomal disorders. Melissa is a graduate of the School of Saint Mary, Bishop Kelley High School and the University of Tulsa, she taught 3rd and 4th grade in...

Bobby Nichols is a rector for Keenan Hall at the University of Notre Dame. He is preparing to join the Jesuits to discern a vocation to religious life. Bobby grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and earned a Bachelor's degree in Theology from Xavier University. He returned to Lousiville following graduation to teach theology and to serve as the assistant director of campus ministry at his alma mate...

Fr. Donald Wolf is the pastor of the new Blessed Fr. Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City and a cousin of Fr. Rother. Father Wolf grew up on a farm near OKC and attended Oklahoma State University before discerning a call to the priesthood. He received his Master of Divinity from St. Meinrad Seminary and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Seabury-Western School of Theology. Fr. Wolf was ordaine...

Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen, OSB is the 10th Abbot of St. Gregory’s Abbey. He professed vows as a monk of St. Gregory’s Abbey on July 11, 1985, and was ordained to the priesthood on August 6, 1994. He was elected Abbot on January 6, 2006, and blessed on February 24, 2006. Abbot Lawrence holds an associate’s degree from St. Gregory’s College and completed a bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm College in...

Mr. Jim Bryan is the owner of Catholic Book and Gift Store in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jim grew up in Tulsa and graduated from Edison High School. He attended Tulane University for one year and graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in Business. Jim grew up Presbyterian and joined the Catholic Church in 1983. Jim and his wife, Carol, are parishioners at the Church of Saint Benedict for many...

Sr. Barbara Austin and Fr. Steve Austin are siblings. Sr. Barbara and Fr. Steve grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, educated by the Benedictine sisters. Sr. Barbara entered the Benedictine Sisters at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa in 1965 and made final vows in 1971. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Tulsa and a Masters in Religious Studies from St. Mei...

Randall Snapp is a Tulsa attorney whose focus and expertise is  employment law.   Randall grew up with his four siblings in Newton, Kansas. He graduated  from the University of Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Juris  Doctor in law, and an MBA, all from the University of Kansas. Randall has served on many boards including Catholic Charities of  Eastern Oklahoma, Bisho...

Father Michael Pratt is the current Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Tulsa and is the incoming Vice Rector of the North American College seminary in Rome.  Father Pratt is a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma  State University. Halfway through college, he began discerning a call to  the priesthood. He enrolled in the Seminary of St. John Vianney in  Mi...